Table for manufacturing mercury-back mirrors.



Paiented lune 5, I900.

D. J. MURNANE. TABLE F08 MANUFACTURING MERCURY BACK MIRRORS.

(Application filed Nov. 2a, 1898. Renewed Aug. 14, 1899.)

(No Model.)

IHT

I ll

WITNESSES UNITED STATES I Fries.-

DANIEL-J. MURNANE, OF TUXEDO, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO THE NATIONAL MERCURYMIRROR COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

TA BLE FORMANUFACTURING MERCURY-BACK MIRRORS.

ATION forming part of Letters Patent No. oo,s57, dated June 5, 1900.Application filed November 23, 1898. Renewed August 14, 1899. Serial No.727,220. (No model.)

tables for manufacturing mercury-back mir-.

rors and it consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts,as will be hereinafter particularly described, and pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side 'elcvaf tion of my completeinvention. Fig, 2 is a top plan view of the same, partially broken away;and Fig. 3 is a detailside elevation,

with parts broken away, showing a modification of my iuventionQ Theobject of myinvention is to construct a table in such manner that theglass which, forms the mirror may be securely and uniformly pressed andheld in position upon the upper surface or bed of the table after thesaid glass has been properly floated upon the mercury covering thetin-foil, thereby dispensing with the inconvenient hand-weightsordinarily employed and laid upon theupper surface of the glassforprcssing or removing all the surplus mercury from between thetin-foil and glass.

A further and very important feature in connection with the clamps abovereferred to is the employment of a pivoted table, the bed or bodyportion of which is adapted to be turned bottom side up, together withthe glass clamped thereon, thereby placing the mirror in a position tobe easily and conveniently removed and placed upon a table or car, (notshown,) together with the clamps.

It is further to be noted that by the employment of the clamps the tablecan be inclined to a suitable an gle, whereby the mercury locatedbetween the tin-foil and glass, after the latter has been floated toforma mirror, is almost immediately forced and drained out, andconsequently the tin-foil be comes dry in a coinparatively-short lengthof time, and therefore it is not necessary for the mirror to remain uponand be pressed against the upper surface of the table for many hours, asis required by the use of the hand-weights formerly employed.

It will therefore be seen that mercury-back mirrors made according to myinvention can be made in a comparatively-short length of time, which isimpossible under the old 6c method, and, further, the tables can beconstantly used for making mirrors and not re main idle for the purposeof drying the tinioihwhich is absolutely necessary under the oldprocedure before the mirror can be taken or removed from the table.Otherwise the said mirror will become damaged. j

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the bed or body portion of thetable, upon the upper surface-of which the tin-foil is placed over whichthc mercury is poured and the glass floatedupon said mercury to form a jmirror. Projecting from the opposite sides of the table 1 and locatedsubstantially midway between the opposite ends of the same are twotrunnions 2, which are received by the bearings 3, formiug'the upperends of the vertical standards 4, the bases of which are seourcdin anymechanical manner to the floor of the building. It is to be noted in.this connection that the standards are of sufficient 'height to permitthe bed of thc tablc to be completely turned, as shown in dotted lines,Fig. 1, for the purpose previously stated.

The clamping device which I employ in carrying out my invention iscomposed of two parallel strips or pieces 5, secured together alongtheir length by bolts 6, passing through said strips and blocks '7,which separate the strips a suitable distance. The strips are somewhatlonger than the width of the table, and removabl y located between thesame are the upper, ends of two clamps 8, the heads 9 of which normallyrest upon the upper edges of the said strips.- The lower ends of theclamps 8 are provided with right-angular extensions 10, through whichscrewthreaded hand-clamps 11 pass, the upper ends of which are broughtin contact with the under surface of the table 1, whereby the strips arefirmly brought in contact with the upper surface of the glass for thepurpose before stated.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modification of my invention, whichconstruction is desirable for clamping glass of large dimensions inorder to thoroughly press the same at intervals along its length andbreadth. In this construction the clamping-screws are dispensed with, inconnection with the clamps or bookshaped connecting-pieces 8, thescrew-thread ed hand-clamps 11 being carried by the strips 5, the lowerends of which are brought in contact with the upper surface of themirror and right-angular extensions of the connectingpieces engagingwith the under surface of the table.

It is further to be noted that in order to remove the mirror from theordinary mercurytable it is necessary to first remove the hamlweightsand then pry one edge of the mirror upward in order to obtain a hold toraise the same from the table, in which instance it is very easy todestroy the mirror; but by the employment of the pivoted table themirror is gradually dropped from the table, together with the clamps,after the same are loosened, and it is therefore impossible to deface ordestroy the mirror. Further, by the employment of the pivoted table itis impossible for any surplus mercury remaining between the glass andtin-foil to frost or damage the mirror in removing the latter from thetable, as often occurs under the old method; but, on the contrary, thetable, together with the mirror, can be so quickly reversed that thereis no possible danger of injuring the mirror.

Secured to the edges of the bed 1 of the table is a trough 15, which isadapted to receive the surplus mercury which flow. from the table duringthe process of making a mirror before the table is,invcrted, which isabsolutely necessary in carrying out my invention and which mercury mustbe collected before the mirror is inverted and removed from the table;but I do not limit myself to the employment of a trough, as any suitablereceptacles may be employed for receiving the excess mercury, whereby itmay. be collected for further use.

llaving fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters latcut, is-

l. 'A table for manufacturiug mercury-back mirrors, comprising areversible bed, a rceep tacle around the edge of the latter forreceivlug the excess mercury before the bed is inverted, and securingmeans comprising bars and clamps operating with said bars and ta- :2. Incombination with a pivoted mercurytable, of securing means comprisingparallel.

bars or strips secured together but separated from one another, clamps,heads forming the upper ends of the same and adapted to 000perate withthe upper edges of said bars, and binding-screws carried by the clampsand adapted to be brought into contact with the under surface of the bedof the table as and for the purpose described.

3. Atable for manufacturingmercury-back mirrors, comprising a reversiblebed, a receptacle located in a suitable position for receiving theexcess mercury from the bed before the latter is inverted, and means forholding a mirror in position against the upper surface of said bed,whereby the latter is adapted to be inverted with the mirror secured inposition thereon, and whereby the mirror maybe released for removal fromthe bed when the latter has been inverted, substantially as described.

4. A table for manufacturing mercury-back mirrors, comprising areversible bed, means around the edge of the bcdfor receiving the excessmercury before the bed is inverted, and means for holding a mirror inposition against the uppcrsurfacc of said bed,whereby the latter isadapted to be inverted with the mirror secured in position thcreon,andwhereby the mirror may be released for removal from the bed when thelatter has been in vertcd, substantially as described.

5. A table for manufacturingmercury back mirrors, comprisinga bed,suitable standards, means for pivotally conuectingsaid bed to thestandards about its medial portion, whereby the bed is adapted to beinverted, a receptacle for receiving the excess mercury before the bedis inverted, and clamps for holding a mirror in position against theupper surface of said bed, whereby the latter is adapted to be invertedwith the mirror secured in position thereon, and whereby the mirror maybe released for removal from the bed when the latter has been inverted,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL .I. MllliiANlfi.

Witnesses:

Anr'uno A. illa'l'um, (l. H. KELLER.

